The present invention relates to surge protection systems of a modular nature, whereby surge protection may be provided for various types of electrical devices and/or connections, such as power supply line cords, incoming telephone lines, cable TV protection using coaxial connections, local area networks (LAN""s) and wide area networks (WAN""s).
More particularly, the invention deals with a surge protection system having several types of modules which are quickly and easily connected and disconnected in any desired order by virtue of quick connect means provided on the modules.
Most particularly, the invention deals with a modular surge protection system of the foregoing nature wherein surge protection modules which provide surge protection to ground may be interchangeable with surge protection modules having surge protection between hot or live and neutral.
Sophisticated electrically operated equipment is particularly sensitive to surges of current over the power supply lines to which it is connected, as well as surges of current occurring in lines connecting it to other electrical equipment with which it communicates. These current surges can be caused by naturally occurring phenomenon, such as lightening strikes during thunder storms, which induce power surges in the power lines, or by man made causes, such as sudden variations in the power being output from a generating station due to the failures of components or other generators going on or off line. Electrical equipment which is particularly sensitive to surges in the power supply lines are television sets, stereos, answering machines, computer equipment, etc. Equipment which is particularly sensitive to surges in the lines connecting it to other equipment are telephone lines, computer equipment, coaxial cable and local area network lines and the like.
While surge protection for power supply lines is widely known in the art, surge protection for telephone equipment and computer equipment utilizing telephone lines and local area networks, as well as surge protection for coaxial cable to prevent television equipment from being damaged due to lightening induced surges in the antenna line, are only more recently known.
Surge protection systems for this type of equipment are generally of two types. One such type is shown in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,292,257 and 5,334,033, the specifications of which are specifically incorporated herein in their entirety, by reference. These patents show a modem surge protection as part of a module having power supply outlets. The module having modem surge protection is only attachable at the end of the power distribution module or other modules attached to the power distribution module. This has sometimes proven inconvenient to the user who needs to have surge protection for various other types of equipment as near as possible to the power outlet, but also needs a number of power supply outlets.
In order to solve the above-described problems of long standing in the art, a surge protection system, and modules therefore, are provided which are completely interchangeable. A surge protection module of any desired type may be inserted as the first module in the system after a power distribution module, the last module in the system, or anywhere in between. Several types of surge protector connections may be provided on one module, or individual modules each with a different type of surge protector connection may be provided.
Generally the surge protection system consists of a power distribution module which is connected to a source of line current, one or more modules of a power supply type which snap to each other and/or to the power distribution module, and one or more modules solely of a surge protection type, which may snap to any of the other modules. This provides the needed functions without at the same time providing a large and bulky surge protector.
Surge protection for power supply modules is provided in the power distribution module in the form of a capacitor connected across the hot or live and neutral connectors, which are in turn electrically connected to a source of line current.
The surge protection for the various surge protection connectors, such as incoming telephone lines using a RJ11 connector, or local area network protection using a RJ45 connector, is provided separately in the surge protection modules independently of the power distribution module, and consists of one or more capacitors electrically connected between the connector and ground.
Since the surge protection for the power supply receptacles in the power distribution module is independent of the surge protection for the various connecting means requiring xe2x80x9cgroundxe2x80x9d surge protection, complete interchangeability is provided for. By providing a male portion of a quick connect means on one end of each surge protection module, and a female portion on the other end of each surge protection module, together with a direct pass through for the hot or live and neutral connections, a completely interchangeable module is provided.
In one modification of the present invention, a power distribution module having surge protection has a line cord having a standard and well known three prong plug for connection to a source of line current. Connected to the line cord seriatim may be such as a circuit breaker, an on-off switch, an indicator light and a power transfer receptacle. A female portion of a quick connect means is also provided by which a power supply or a surge protection module having at least one male power transfer connector and a male portion of a quick connect means may be quickly snapped into place. The power supply modules may have as few as one power supply receptacle, or may have as many as desired. One or more surge protection modules having xe2x80x9cgroundxe2x80x9d surge protection, may be interposed anywhere desired into the surge protection system.
In another modification of the present invention an interchangeable surge protection module is provided. The surge protection module has a female portion of a quick connect means on one end thereof, and a male portion of a quick connect means on the other end thereof. Appropriate female and male power transfer connectors are provided, as well as a ground connection so that live, and/or neutral and/or ground received from another module may pass completely through the surge protection module and be supplied to the next module in line. A RJ11, RJ45, RS232, or a co-ax connector is provided on the module and connected to ground through an appropriate capacitor.
In a third modification, one or more surge protection modules only are connected to a power distribution module by the quick connect means. Only the ground connection of the power distribution module is used since the live and neutral connections are not needed if no power is to be transferred to a power supply module.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a modular surge protection system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a modular surge protection system having a power distribution module and/or one or more types of power supply modules and/or surge protection modules.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a power distribution module having live/neutral surge protection for use in a modular surge protection system. The module has a line cord connected seriatim to a source of power, a circuit breaker, an indicator light and a switch, and terminating in a power transfer means co-operating with the female portion of a quick connect means.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a surge protection module having xe2x80x9cgroundxe2x80x9d surge protection for use in a modular surge protection system having one, or a plurality of, connecting means provided thereon, a male portion of a quick connect means formed on one end thereof, and a female portion of a quick connect means formed on the other end thereof.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a modular surge protector system of the foregoing nature which is easy to manufacture and is of a low cost and economical nature.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.